Liverpool Regain Control of Anfield Road Stand Expansion Site After Collapse of Contractor Buckingham

Liverpool have regained control of the site for the Anfield Road Stand expansion after the collapse of contractor Buckingham. It was confirmed on Tuesday that the Stowe-based company had fallen into administration, resulting in the loss of around 500 jobs.

Doubts over Buckingham’s future first emerged just under three weeks ago, and brought a halt to all ongoing work on the Anfield Road end, as well as plans for a phased opening of the new stand’s top tier. However, This Is Anfield understands that today’s final decision over Buckingham’s fate has allowed control of the site to return to Liverpool.

Workers may even be seen returning to the site as early as today. The club are now aiming to move quickly to appoint a new contractor who will oversee the remainder of the project. They plan to retain as many of Buckingham’s existing subcontractors and personnel as possible in order to smooth the process of finishing the stand. And they do not expect the resumption of works to compromise the ongoing use of the lower tier of the Anfield Road end.

The Anfield Road Stand Expansion

The Anfield Road Stand expansion is part of a long-term plan to increase Anfield’s capacity from 54,000 to around 61,000. The new stand will add an extra 8,500 seats, with the lower tier already in use for the opening two games of the Premier League season, wins over Bournemouth and Aston Villa.

Preston-based Rayner Rowen are thought to be one of the construction firms under consideration as Liverpool seek a new contractor. However, sources insist no final decision has yet been made.

The Collapse of Buckingham

Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd had been working on the Anfield Road Stand expansion since April 2018, but their future was thrown into doubt when they filed for administration on Tuesday. It is believed that the company had been struggling financially for some time, and had been unable to secure additional funding to continue their work on the project.

The news of Buckingham’s collapse has been met with sadness by many in the local community, with around 500 people losing their jobs as a result. The company had been in business for more than 50 years and had worked on a number of major projects in the area, including the redevelopment of Liverpool Lime Street station and the construction of Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

Moving Forward

Despite the setback caused by Buckingham’s collapse, Liverpool are now ready to move forward with further construction on the Anfield Road Stand expansion. The club will be hoping to appoint a new contractor as soon as possible in order to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.

Once finished, the new stand will add an extra 8,500 seats to Anfield, taking its capacity up to around 61,000 and cementing its position as one of the most iconic stadiums in world football.